COFO Civil Rights Education Center

Reopened as a museum and civil rights education center by Jackson State University in 2011, the statewide headquarters for the Council of Federated Organizations (COFO) was the epicenter of the modern civil rights movement in Mississippi and served as the organizational home for Freedom Summer in 1964. Operated by the Margaret Walker Center at JSU today, COFO is open for visitors. Be sure to schedule your next tour.

In 1961, COFO was established as an umbrella organization to unify and meet the needs of an increasing presence of civil rights organizations in Mississippi, including the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and a host of local organizations. In 1963, COFO made 1017 John R. Lynch Street its home, and this office served as the state headquarters for the modern Mississippi civil rights movement. Making voter registration and education a top priority for the Mississippi movement, COFO was instrumental in organizing the 1963 Freedom Vote, the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, and 1964’s Freedom Summer.

Since its reopening in 2011, the COFO Center has hosted visitors from around the world. Although it is dedicated to preserving the past, the COFO Center is committed to challenging and cultivating young minds, fostering the development of future leaders and community builders, and opening its doors to individuals and groups organizing to support the community in the same ways that COFO did in the 1960s.

You can schedule your tour of the COFO Civil Rights Education Center here, or contact the staff of the Margaret Walker Center at 601-979-3935 or mwa@jsums.edu. Our exhibit room can hold approximately 70 people with theatre-style seating; with tables, the room will seat about 40. We will do our best to accommodate your setup needs.

If you’ve visited us recently, please consider filling out our quick survey about your experience.

COFO Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 am to 5 pm (*1st & 3rd Tuesdays, 12 pm – 5 pm)

Pocket Park Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 am to 5 pm